Walter Fondry, Don Detweiler, John England, Sam Allen,
Albert Baumgart, Dick Funk, Steve Moroz, Lou Coke and others
2nd Platoon, B Company
Krefeld, Germany - March/April 1945

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From the Division history book, With the 102d Infantry Division Through Germany
- section: "Defense on the Rhine, 4 March - 3 April 1945"

Official records indicate that during this period the 327th Engineer Combat Battalion "continued their program of rest, rehabilitation and refitting." Only occasionally is there a brief reference to the many varied activities which kept the entire unit going at a rapid pace from morning to night. They arrived in Krefeld after completing a stupendous job of road maintenance and mine removal which contributed greatly to the rapidity and success of the Rhineland campaign.
Then came a frantic period of removing unexploded German demolition charge from nearly every intact bridge in the area. With few exceptions each structure had been prepared for destruction, but the retreating enemy had lacked sufficient time to ignite the charges. It was imperative to save as many bridges as possible before enemy agents or civilians could accomplish what the Wehrmacht had failed to do. Consequently the engineers worked day and night at this hazardous task and, whenever there was an hour to spare, there was always "mine sweeping" to be done. Likewise, there were air-raid shelters to repair, quantities of rubble to clear away and much sandbagging to do. Finally they ferried infantry patrols across the broad, somber Rhine, a job with which they were now familiar from their previous experiences along the Roer.